The Cousin
by Kimiki
Summary: When Kagome’s cousin appears at the Shrine, several events unfold, eventually leading to new demons and humans making their appearances, along with several old ones. Rating will go up due to the nature of chapter(s) 32 33.
1. Opening the Scroll

**Author's Rant**: Yes, yes, I know that it has been forever and a day since I got back to this fic... But, guess what?! This time it's finished! _(Bet that you're all proud of me... no three month long wait this time around!)_ And, I went ahead and added a prologue _(this)_ just to make it seem like it makes more sense! Can't promise you anything, because my beta told me that this just created more questions... Oh, speaking of my beta, this whole fic will now be dedicated to her. Because, she was my muse and my beta! She gave me such great commentary, and my writing style improved because of it! And, if I had tried to create this fic without her, then this story would not be here! _(waves banner)_ So, let's here a big_ 'yay'_ for the greatest little usling there is**!: Sarah/ CR/ Beta/ Vegetachanlover/ Oh My Blush/ Us** (not us as in we, but Us as in me!)**/ Kazou!** ...Now, onto the fic... uh, prologue...

**Disclaimer**: Not mine, and I will never lay claim to them. Any original characters, however, are of my own creation, even if they are based off real people.

**Warning**: Respect whatever the rating is

**Summary**: When Kagome's cousin appears at the Shrine, several events unfold, eventually leading to new demons and humans making their appearances, along with several old ones. Rating will go up due to the nature of chapter(s) 32/33.

_**The Cousin**_

_**Opening the Scroll**_

Scurrying up a tree trunk, a tiny brown squirrel gnawed at the acorn that it held in its little paws and watched its surroundings carefully. As it began to near the end of its small meal, it felt the tree shake beneath from a loud explosion not far from where it sat. Quickly running into the thick leaves for hiding, the squirrel watched the unfolding scene cautiously.

In the sky was a large blast of light, followed by several hundreds of smaller streaks of light bursting from the center of the explosion to scatter swiftly across the sky. Eyes widening, the small animal quickly jumped to another tree branch as two of the bright streaks of light flew past the tree branch and continued on their downward fall until they both landed deep inside a cave, burying themselves deep into the earth, falling rocks from the quake of the explosion quickly covering the small holes that they had each made in the hard stone. Finishing its acorn, the squirrel twitched its tail as it watched the cave and, seeing that the two strange objects posed no sort of threat, made its way down the tree and quickly left the area.

** Five Hundred Years Later... **

"Hey Joe! I think that I found some other type of rock!" a dark haired man yelled, waving his pickaxe in the air to signal to his partner. Jogging to where his co-worker was chipping away at the rock that the city needed for the new government buildings, Joe asked, "Oh? What is it David?"

"Look at this!" David said, holding up two small shards of a bright pink and purple jewel. The light shone off the smooth edges, and Joe felt a small pull in his chest to the items. Shaking his head at the strange feeling, he asked, "Well, where did you find 'em?"

"Just underneath some stone. Who knows how old they are! What do you think the selling price on 'em would be?" David asked, holding the crystals up to the light of the brightly blazing sun, closing his right eye so he could watch the ways that the crystals created little rainbows of light.

"I dunno. Don't look that expensive, so maybe twenty or so bucks. They could make for a nice necklace or earrings or sumthin'." Joe told him, picking up his tools and beginning to resume his work. Shrugging in consent, David left it at that and told himself to take it to the local jeweler after work that day.

Walking home at six o'clock, David fingered the fifteen bucks that now lined his pockets. The little jewels had made him only that much money, but he didn't care. He had wanted to get a beer that night, and if it came from his paycheck or a new source of income, he didn't care. Beer was beer.


	2. Scroll One

**Author's Thing That I Just Feel Like Putting In Here**: Well, I got a lot of comments from past readers of this along the lines of 'Why the hell is there a prologue in here? Was there one last time?' The answer is, 'Because I felt like it.' and 'No.'

**Disclaimer**: Don't own, so don't sue. I only own all my original characters, and even some of those had to be created by enlisting the help of others.

**_...Scroll One..._**

Standing under the God Tree, Kagome Higurashi released a held breath as she took in the peace of her era. Sure, the noise of civilization floated up to the Higurashi Family Shrine every so often, but at least she never had to worry about dying while she was in her own time period. But, Inuyasha had been adamant about her returning by noon, and the raven-haired girl did not want to get on the hanyou's bad side. Sighing, Kagome watched as the leaves moved in the late morning breeze, then straightened her back and began to walk towards the small hut in which the Bone Eater's Well was housed. Only seven feet from the sliding wooden door, the young miko-in-training heard the sound of running footsteps only seconds before she heard a slightly familiar voice yell, "Kagome!"  
  
Quickly turning on her heel, Kagome felt a pair of strong arms encircle her shoulders, bringing her into a close hug that could even rival Shippo's. Seeing the flash of blonde hair, Kagome was instantly able to place the voice of the person hugging her to a face in her memory and pulled back to see if her assumptions were correct. Seeing the familiar smiling girl and the glinting of well-known blue eyes, Kagome felt her face break into a smile as she exclaimed, hugging the girl before her, "Jenni! I didn't know that you were to get here today! I thought that your flight was in a few more days! How was your trip?"  
  
Pulling away from each other, the two girls walked to the shade covered bench that was situated beneath the large branches of the God Tree. Tugging her black tank top down a bit, Jenni crossed her legs and watched happily as the leaves above her swayed in the wind, much like Kagome had earlier. Looking at her slightly older cousin who was related to her on her mother's side, Kagome waited while the girl took in all the familiar sights of the shrine. Looking to meet the other girl's gaze, Jenni blushed slightly and said, "Sorry, forgot your question! Uh, the plane ride was fine! I talked to Auntie, and she said that if I hurried that I would be able to catch you before you left. But, why were you going to the well house? Some sort of chore?"  
  
"Uh, yeah! I have to sweep it out!" Kagome fibbed quickly, all the while thinking to herself, _'My cousin has great timing. Now I can't get back to the feudal era! Inuyasha's gonna be mad at me now, but I really don't think that it would be very polite to just leave Jenni here after she's traveled all this way to stay with us... And family does come before Jewel Shards...' _Noticing that Jenni was quirking an eyebrow at her, Kagome realized that she had been silent for a short while and hastily asked, "Uhm, do you wanna go up to my room to catch up on old times? You are going to school here, right? Mom can get you the forms and register you on Monday and get you a uniform. Wanna go do that now?"  
  
"Sure! Auntie told me to go ahead and put my bags in your room. I hope that you don't mind?" Jenni informed the Japanese girl as they stood and began to move towards the large house located on the shrine property.  
  
"That's great! It will be like when we were little and we would have those sleepovers!" Kagome smiled, taking her cousin's arm and quickly running to the front door, intent on getting the topic off the reason that she was nearing the well house earlier. The time-traveling girl just didn't see the sense in telling her cousin about the Jewel Shards, Naraku, and the whole kit-and-caboodle at the moment.

* * *

Leaning against the worn wood that marked the hole that was the Bone Eater's Well, the half-dog, half-human Inuyasha huffed under his breath as he marked the distance that the sun had traveled in the sky. That wench had said that she would be back by the time the sun was high in the sky, when the shadows were directly underneath you! The hanyou suspected that it was already half a candlemark past that time! Standing, the silver-haired teen stuffed his hands inside the sleeves of his outer coat and began to pace in a quick line, turning on his heel sharply to begin the pacing once more. Watching through hooded eyes, the young kitsune Shippo sucked on a lollipop that Kagome had given him before she left and asked around the large, round candy, "Why don't you just go after her Inuyasha? We all know that you want to!"  
  
"Shippo..." Inuyasha began slowly, keeping his back from the young demon pup. Turning slowly, the hanyou pinned a bone-chilling glare on the young child and questioned, "What have I told you about sneaking up on me?"  
  
Beginning to worry for his safety, Shippo answered stutteringly, "Uh, to n-not sneak up on y-you?"  
  
"Very good." Inuyasha said coolly. Now Shippo was definitely worried for the hanyou. He never acted like this! Where was the wallop on his head, the yelling, and the grabbing of the tail? Deciding that the hanyou was not himself, Shippo stood and silently jumped from the ledge of the well's lip and quickly walked to the dog-demon. Jumping onto the older male's shoulder, Shippo advised the teen, "Why don't you go to Kagome's time and get her? Then we can begin searching for the Jewel Shards."  
  
"Good advice Shippo. Why didn't I think of that?" Inuyasha asked, sarcasm visibly laced through his words. Faster than Shippo expected, the right fist of the hanyou was perched upon came down on his skull, creating the well known bump on top of his little head. Jumping down, Shippo yelled, "Inuyasha, you jerk! Why did you do that! I'm gonna tell Kagome, an' she's gonna Sit you!" Quickly scampering off, lollipop in his mouth, Shippo left Inuyasha alone with the well. Watching the young brat (in the hanyou's opinion) run back to the village, Inuyasha stood silently for a few moments before turning and facing the well. With a single leap, he had covered the few feet and soon was falling through time, heading for the present era.

* * *

Up in Kagome's room, the two cousins were talking animatedly to each other, sharing stories together and laughing over their fond memories. Ever since the two had been five, Jenni had lived in the United States, and they had only seen each other six times in the eleven years of separation. Jenni had had to move to the United States at the age of five and a half because her mother, Kagome's own mother's younger sister, had been told by her boss to move to America for a job assignment. Jenni's father was himself American born and bred, and had helped his only daughter to learn the complicated new language. Now, at the age of sixteen, Jenni's mother had been transferred once again, only this time she was being sent back to Japan. The blonde had asked that she be sent to live with her cousins and aunt, so she could start her eleventh year in Japan and make some friends, instead of entering the school year halfway through. Agreeing with this idea, her parents had contacted her aunt and the small family had quickly made arrangements for the sixteen year old to stay at the Higurashi Family Shrine. Jenni was to stay with Kagome's family for half a year, or until her parents were able to move across the sea.  
  
As they both fell into a comfortable silence, Kagome stood and asked the other, "Hey, do you want anything to snack on? Cookies or anything?"  
  
"Yeah! Airplane food isn't really edible, ya know?" Jenni said as her stomach grumbled softly. Laughing, Kagome asked her as she walked to the door, "What would you like?" Blushing at her loud tummy, the blonde smiled and said, "Well, anything is better than the slop they tried to feed us." Smiling, Kagome told the girl, "I'll be right back then! You can begin unpacking if you would like! Momma said that we would be sharing a room!"  
  
Raising her legs above her, Jenni swung off her upside-down position on the bed and landed solidly on the carpeted floor. Giving the Japanese girl a thumbs up sign, she stated, "Will do!" as she moved towards her large suitcase that was currently lying on the floor. Unlocking the main zipper, she said, "Oh, and don't let me forget to give you your present either."  
  
"Present?!" Kagome squealed, imitating her school friend Yuki. Smiling, she said, "Okay, I'll be back real soon!" as she raced down the stairs two at a time, door left swinging on it's hinges from her sudden departure. Grinning, Jenni turned her attention to her bag and began to unload several of her belongings from the large leather bag.

* * *

Jumping from the well, Inuyasha ran swiftly to the tree that he knew led to Kagome's bedroom window, intent on dragging the girl back to the Warring States Era, even if she tried to Sit him. Even he could feel that Jewel Shards were close to the village, but they needed Kagome there so they could pinpoint their exact location. Jumping the several feet to one of the largest branches, the hanyou noted that the girl had left her window unlocked again, and heard her yell, "I'll be back real soon!", followed shortly by the sound of footsteps going down the staircase rapidly, stumbling once before resuming its pace. Wondering how she already knew that he was there, Inuyasha shrugged and silently opened the window, slipping into the modern day girl's room. Looking around the girlish room, he decided to sit upon the floor, and unceremoniously plopped onto his butt, crossing his legs in his normal pose. Inhaling deeply, the hanyou felt his slightly restless nerves still and let his breath out with a long sigh.  
  
"Kagome..." he said at the end of his breath, reveling in the smell of the girl who was the reincarnate of his one-time lover.  
  
"No, I am actually Jenni." a voice stated mater-o-factly. "Now that we have that cleared up, would you mind telling me who you are, and why you are in this room?"


	3. Scroll Two

**Author's Ramble**: (sighs) Well, be glad that you got this chapter this weekend, rather than wait another week for it. finals are coming up, and my parents are harping on me about my math grade, along with work, and concerts, and trips to the mall, and projects due in two days, and portfolios, and girl scouts, and family matters, and saving the world from an evil sorcerer dude. Well, fine, you found me out. that last one isn't true... but, all the others are, so, just bear with me and leave me a review to remind me of who actually reads this. the more reviews I get, the less bitchy I will be. Less bitchy -equals- happy -equals- possibly faster update period. Think about it...

**Disclaimer**: Not mine, don't want, only Jenni is mine, but that's cus this is a SI (self insertion, not _Strange Interlude_).

**Warning(s)**: Standard issue. I write what I want, but I do keep it PG 13, if any of you are worried. Seriously doubt that, however...

_**The Cousin**_

_**Scroll Two**_

Startled by the new voice, Inuyasha jumped suddenly from his slouched position on the floor to a stiff-backed posture. When had this new girl entered the room?! He had never even sensed or smelt her!  
  
_'Well, she is in Kagome's room, so she would obviously be somewhat wrapped in the scent. And... what a nice scent it is also... mentally sighs Agg! Baka! Don't let you guard down! Okay, now, who is she? Jenni? Well, she is human and is obviously from this time... I have no idea how they think that those strips of cloth are clothes... So, what is she doing in Kagome's room? Could she be one of Kagome's friends...? No, because Kagome said that they all had hair that was as dark as hers, and this girl has blonde hair... So, who is she? Is she... Uh-oh. Been quiet for too long... What was her question just then?'  
_  
"Uh... I'm Inuyasha. Where's Kagome?" the hanyou asked, his voice coming out rougher than he had meant it to be. Looking momentarily shocked, Jenni blinked at his tone and then narrowed her eyes. He never even saw the finger poke him sharply in the stomach.  
  
"You should be nicer when you barge into other people's homes. But, I guess manners would be beyond you, huh?  
  
_'Damn! She's faster than Sesshomaru!'_ Inuyasha thought. _'Who the hell is she?'_ Instead, the ever eloquent hanyou asked, "How do you know Kagome?"  
  
"That's somewhat better than before. I'll tell you, but you should sit down. And, not on the floor, you're not a dog. That chair is comfy, or so I think..." At this, Jenni pointed to the desk chair and Inuyasha tentatively sat his butt on the cushioned seat, his mind racing all the while. _'She looks like Kagome. Almost has the same anger too. What I can catch of her scent is similar, but I can't tell if it is because she is in Kagome's room. Who the hell was she?!'  
_  
"Okay, now to your question. How do I know Kagome? She's my cousin and I'm living with her at the moment. Now, Inuyasha was it? I don't know if she's used to you barging into her room or not, but it is not polite."  
  
Crossing his arms, Inuyasha glared at the shorter girl and demanded, "Why should I care about being polite?"  
  
"Because, " Jenni started, "When you sat here," she pointed to the middle of the carpeted floor where she had found the hanyou, "And said her name, you said it in a way that a close... friend might say it." When Inuyasha cocked his head at her in confusion, Jenni sighed and decided to try a different way to stating the obvious to the boy. Looking Inuyasha in the eyes, the blonde stated bluntly, "I think that you have feelings for her."  
  
"What?!" Inuyasha yelled, feeling his face go red in embarrassment. _'But, why should I be embarrassed if what she is saying is a lie?'_ Inuyasha thought momentarily. Ignoring the part of his mind that gave him that thought, the hanyou jumped and grabbed the shorter girl by the shoulders, careful enough to not sink his claws into her flesh. If she was, in fact, Kagome's cousin, Inuyasha would be in a world of hurt and pain if he even so much as bruised her. Watching as her eyes momentarily gave away her fright, Inuyasha asked coldly, "Who are you really? You want to hurt Kagome, don't you? Were you sent by Naraku? Well?? Were you?!" Yelling the last two questions at the girl, Inuyasha shook her back and forth quickly, thinking that if he frightened her some that she would tell him what he needed to know. Unfortunately for the hanyou, this was the exact time that Kagome entered into the room once more.  
  
"I'm back and I have sustenance!" the young time-traveler chirped, holding the tray of cookies and drinks before her. Blinking, she quickly assessed what was progressing inside her bedroom.  
  
"Inuyasha?!" she shrieked when she saw that the hanyou was now in her room, holding Jenni roughly by the shoulders.  
  
"K-Kagome?" the red-clad boy stammered when he saw that the girl was not at all fazed by the presence of the blonde girl in his grasp. But, did that mean that this girl didn't work for Naraku...?  
  
"What are you...--SIT!" Kagome yelled, giving up on trying to get answers from him while her cousin was in his strong grasp. Heaven knows that it must hurt!  
  
Dropping like a ton of bricks, Inuyasha slammed into the floor of the bedroom, the light from the prayer beads encircling his body. Running past the boy that was sprawled across her carpeted floor, Kagome knelt beside her dazed cousin, who looked to be very confused about the happenings between herself, Kagome and the hanyou. Taking in her cousin's quietness, Kagome called, "Jenni! Jenni! Are you okay?"  
  
"Ugh... Yeah, peachy. What is he? Some sort of demon?" Jenni asked, sitting up and holding her head. That fall to the ground was no soft landing! Muttering under her breath, she said, "Hurts like a mother... Auntie warned me..."  
  
"Uh...Wh-what makes you say that?" Kagome squeaked, wondering if her blonde friend had just made a wild guess on that last question, or if she really knew what Inuyasha was. But, how could she possibly know! She had only arrived today, and had just met Inuyasha herself!  
  
"Kag, your mom told me why I might not be able to catch you if I didn't hurry. Is this guy," Jenni stated, motioning to the poor, sprawled out half-demon, "from the past?"  
  
"Uh, well, uh..." Kagome stammered, unable to find a cover story to fib to her cousin. Drooping her head a bit, she said, "Yeah, he is. And I told him that I would be back today- to the past, that is-, but then you arrived and I couldn't leave you. So, that may be why he came here; To get me to come back through the well."  
  
"Urg. Wench, why did you do that? She could be working for Naraku." Inuyasha grumbled around the fibers of the carpet to the raven-haired girl in the room.  
  
"Inuyasha! How could you think that? How many humans work for Naraku of their own will? And, who else can travel through the well? This is Jenni, and she's my cousin! She's just crossed the ocean! She's crossed, a, uh, a very big river today! She's never even heard of the Jewel Shards!"  
  
"Jewel Shards? What are the Jewel Shards?" Jenni inquired while Kagome shot a look to Inuyasha that said, _'There! See!'_ Standing and walking to her desk, Kagome took a small glass container and held it out to Jenni. "These are Jewel Shards!" Taking it in her hands, Jenni peered at the small, pink and purple colored crystals that were held inside the jar. Blinking, she stood and walked to the bed, where her suitcase was laying. Opening the largest compartment, she placed the jar on the nightstand and began digging through her belongings, as if searching for something. Watching this strange behavior, Kagome asked, "Jenni? Are you okay?"  
  
"Hmm?" the blonde asked, never once pausing from her search. "Yeah. Never better." Throwing a lone sock over her head, she could be heard mumbling, "I know they're in here... Now, were did I put them...?"  
  
As Inuyasha was finally peeling himself from the floor, Jenni straightened her back and stood up triumphantly, promptly causing Inuyasha to be knocked to the floor again, only this time on his back.  
  
"Ugh..." Inuyasha muttered as he sat up and rubbed the bump on his head. Glaring at the blonde human, he asked, "Wench! Why'd ya do that?!"  
  
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Jenni said to Inuyasha, sweatdropping at her rude behavior. Turning to Kagome with her arms stretched out, she handed the girl a wrapped box that had a yellow bow on it. "Kagome, here's your present that I told you about earlier!"  
  
Sweatdropping at how ADD her cousin could be at times, Kagome took the offered present with, "Jenni... you can be a real blonde sometimes, ya know..."  
  
"Flattery will get you nowhere!" Jenni said with a grin. "Now just open it!"  
  
"Okay, okay..." Kagome said as she placed the gift box on her desk and removed the bow and wrapping paper. Opening it, her eyes widened when she saw the most beautiful earrings that she had ever laid eyes on. They were both a purple crystal that sparkled pink when the light hit it, and they were crafted to hang from your ears when you wore them.  
  
They were also two Jewel Shards.  
  
Realizing this, Kagome looked at her cousin in astonishment and exclaimed, "Jenni! These are Jewel Shards!"  
  
"What?!" Inuyasha shouted, jumping to his feet instantly to peer at the ear-thingy-ma-bobs. Blushing at her luck at finding something that her cousin would actually want, Jenni asked, "Really? Well, then, I guess that I got you a good present, huh?"


	4. Scroll Three

**Author's** **Ramble**: Don't know why, but I have really been feeling crappy today... Not as in my mood, just really crappy... Hope I'm not coming down with the flu...

But, that is not my only excuse as to why it has taken me forever and two days to get this story out. I got a new computer, and it is an Apple, and as such _(Being new and an Apple)_, it has no floppy drive. No floppy drive means that I cannot load my stories, which means that I have to do it at school, during lunch or after school... So, here I am! _(smiles)_ Yeah, that was probably more info than you even needed to know, but who cares? ...You do, probably...

**Disclaimer**: Not mine, don't lay claim to... Don't even know if I want to take credit for the story, until it reaches chapter 22... That's when the story picks up people! I swear!

**Warnings**: Meh. Don't really think there's any, but who knows. Read at your own risk.

_**The Cousin**_

_**Scroll Three**_

Prying the Jewel Shards from the silver pieces that would attach them to the ear, Kagome asked her cousin, "This is so great! But, where on earth did you find them? Surely not in a department store..."  
  
"No..." Jenni admitted, sitting beside the bed and leaning against the bedpost. "Uh, actually, I got them in some antique store in the market place just before I came here. Auntie was showing me around and all that... You know, the tourist stuff that you have to do when you arrive in a place that you've never been before..."  
  
Getting tired of the pleasantries going between the two girls, Inuyasha decided to risk his ass by saying to Kagome, "Wench, we need to go back through the well! We need to collect more shards there! We've already lost half a day!"  
  
Wincing at his accusatory tone, Kagome waved her hands submissively at the hanyou and conceded, "Yeah, yeah..." Turning to face her slightly confused cousin, she asked, "That is, if it is okay with you Jenni."  
  
Blinking, the blonde stated, "Yeah, perfectly fine with me. I just have one quick question; How do you actually -get- to the past?"  
  
"Um, well, you see, you go to the well and... Uh, why don't I just show you how it works?" Kagome asked after not being able to correctly say how the well worked, since she didn't even know herself. "Sure!" Jenni smiled, standing and following Kagome down the flight of stairs. Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha leapt from the second story window, easily landing on the ground in a ten point landing. Exiting the kitchen door, Kagome and Jenni walked to the well house, Inuyasha following them with his arms tucked inside his haori's sleeves. On the walk to the run-down well, Kagome explained what she knew of the well's workings, then hugged her cousin goodbye as they stood beside the lip of the rotting Bone Eater's Well. Pulling the young miko onto his back, Inuyasha jumped into the well's opening, the magic contained in the seemingly normal object transporting the two to the Feudal Era in only a few seconds.

oOo

When they arrived on the other side of the well, Inuyasha jumped from the dirt floor of the well to the grassy ground and promptly sat down, while Kagome stood and stretched, taking a deep breath of the noticeably cleaner air. Raising her arms above her head, Kagome paused in mid-stretch when she heard a small voice below her cough, "Ahem."  
  
Placing her hands on the wooden rim of the well, Kagome looked down the depths of the well and facefaulted when she saw Jenni standing there, her arms crossed behind her back.  
  
"Uh, Jenni...? How...? What...?" Kagome stuttered, her surprise evident in her voice. Hadn't they left her back at the shrine...?  
  
"How did you follow us?" Inuyasha demanded. He had finally deemed Kagome's confusion worth some investigation, and had turned to see the blonde girl from Kagome's house staring up at him from the bottom of the well. That wasn't supposed to happen, people randomly coming through the well, other than himself and Kagome of course, was it?  
  
"Well, I was standing beside the well after you jumped through, then turned to leave the well house. Just as I touched the doorframe to exit the well house, I was suddenly thrown off my feet and when I opened my eyes, I was suddenly standing here. You mean that this has never happened before?"  
  
"Well, no, not really..." Kagome admitted, wringing her hands together. She didn't want her cousin to have to experience the dangers of the Feudal Era! It could be dangerous!  
  
"Oh." Jenni mumbled, then turned large, blue eyes pleadingly at Inuyasha. "Can you help me get out... I seem to be kinda stuck... Please?"  
  
After the hanyou had helped the blonde girl from the well and the three had sat beside said well and discussed the situation, all three decided to go on to Kaede's village. The old priestess might know what was going on, and Jenni said that, if she was already here, why not see some of the Feudal Era? ("Hey," she had argued, "It might come in handy in History class...")  
  
After walking the short distance, they arrived around the time that the stars were first beginning to appear in the dark sky, and the tiny village was already bedded down for the night. Entering Kaede's hut, Kagome told the others that Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, and Kaede were already all asleep. Entering the old priestess's hut quietly, Kagome gently touched her shoulder and she awoke without a sound. Sitting on the floor, she agreed to listen to their story, and when they had finished explaining their problem, she told them that she did not know any more about it than they already did. Turning her wrinkled face to Jenni, Kaede suggested, "Why don't you stay in my house tonight child? I can tell you all that your cousin has faced while she has stayed with us for the past months, and you can know more about this time." Agreeing to this, Jenni told Kagome and Inuyasha to go lay down and get some sleep, and they nodded and grabbed a blanket each and promptly drifted into their dreams while Jenni and Kaede sat by the crackling fire, the wizened priestess's words the only sound other than the fire and the light snores in the room.

oOo

Blinking her eyes against the morning light, Kagome yawned and tried to stretch and found that she had a small weight attached to her body. Smiling, she said, "Good morning to you too Shippo. Can I please have my legs back now? I'm not going back to my time yet." Letting go of the girl's legs and bounding towards her pillow, and, giving her a tight hug, the tiny kitsune gushed in as few breaths as possible, "Kagome! I missed you -so- much! Why didn't you come back yesterday like you said you would? Inuyasha was sitting by the well, waiting for you to come, and I was with him, wishing that you were here so that it wasn't so boring, or so that I could have that pretty blue cray-on that you promise to bring me so I could color on my paper. I broke my other blue cray-on, remember, so you promised to bring me a new one! Did you get it? Did you Kagome?"  
  
"Yes Shippo, I remembered your crayon. And, as to why I didn't come back yesterday..." Kagome started, slightly surprised that Shippo could fit that many words per breath, yet was cut off when her stomach began to growl in protest to no food being inside her. "How about I explain over breakfast? Is that a good deal?"  
  
"Okay!" Shippo agreed, jumping from her blanket to allow her the room to roll away from the warmth of her 'bed'. Standing, Kagome and Shippo both exited the hut, the girl blinking as her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the morning sun. Jumping onto her shoulder, Shippo watched the birds fly around the trees, their shrill voices tweeting peacefully, if not a little annoyingly in the kitsune's opinion. Walking into the forest, in search of the rest of their group, Kagome wondered where Jenni could have gotten to since last night. On the way, Kagome and Shippo picked up Sango and Kirara, who had both been training together since earlier that morning, then Miroku, who had a fresh hand imprint on his cheek, and lastly Inuyasha, who jumped from a tree to join them. Turning around, they headed towards Kaede's hut for breakfast and were greeted by a mouth watering scent with each step that took them closer to the wooden structure. Smiling, Kagome quickened her pace and brushed aside the hanging over the door opening, entering the hut, from where the smell was originating. Watching her in slight surprise, the tanjiya, monk were even more surprised when she was gently ushered back outside by an unfamiliar figure. Waving a finger at Kagome, the blonde haired girl smiled at the young miko, then entered the hut once more, leaving Kagome standing there by herself. Looking at them, she gave them a lopsided smile and shrugged her shoulders, as if to say, 'Oh well, I tried.' Walking to the girl, Inuyasha's nose twitched as the blonde girl, Jenni, appeared outside once more and handed Kagome two strips of cooked meat, laughing as the girl took them and ate one, giving the other to Shippo. Staring at the meat questioningly, Shippo took a small, hesitant bite from the strip, then scarfed down the rest, licking his lips when he was finished. Entering the hut once more, Jenni let the cover slide into place once more, and the three very confused fighters turned their attention to Kagome.  
  
"Uh, Kagome," Sango asked, pointing a finger to the hut, "Who was that? And, how do you know her?"  
  
"Hmm? Oh, I'll introduce you all to her when she comes back out with breakfast!" Kagome replied, picking Shippo from her shoulder and placing him in her arms. He got kinda heavy when he stayed in one spot for too long!  
  
Shrugging, the others sat against the hut, waiting till the mystery girl came back outside with their morning meal. They did have to admit that the aroma coming from inside the hut was very tempting. Sometime later, the flap was flung away from the door and the smiling girl emerged, holding a large plateful of fluffy yellow things, strips of meat like what she had given Kagome and strange looking brown patties. Introducing each meal item as eggs, bacon and hashbrowns respectively, the four Feudal Era people just started at all the warm food that Kagome had never even introduced them to. Laughing at their expressions, Jenni brought them from their trance and told them, "Go on! Eat! If you just keep looking at it, it'll get cold, and then where will all my hard work go? Eat!"  
  
Everyone seemed to reach for the food at the same time, and a frenzy of chopstick swatting and face stuffing commenced. About a fourth of the way done, Kagome remembered her duty to her friends and cousin and hastily stood and motioned to the girl sitting beside her. "Everyone, this is my cousin, Jenni. She somehow was able to come through the well after Inuyasha and I." Jenni nodded to acknowledge that statement, smiling at each person or demon that she had not yet met.  
  
"That, and she can defeat a demon faster than I have ever seen before." Kaede stated as she approached the feasting group, bow and quiver slung across her shoulders. Turning to face the blonde girl that was currently eating her scrambled eggs, everyone's mouths hung open when she shrugged and stated clearly, "It was trying to steal my water." 


	5. Scroll Four

"A demon was stealing your food?" Sango asked, the surprise evident in her voice that a demon would be foolish enough to approach this village. And, going to the head priestess's house, no less! Shaking her head at how foolish or idiotic this demon must have been, she asked, "Did you see what kind of demon it was?"

"I don't really know demons so well…" Jenni said, a wry grin on her face as she placed her chopsticks on her plate and folded her hands in her lap. Scrunching her eyes into a squint, she told them, "It looked kinda like a lizard, or something like that… Maybe a toad…? But, it walked on its hind legs and was wearing little clothes. It was only about two or so feet high, and it carried a strange staff with it; The thing had two faces carved into it. Really was quite strange, I thought… and, it was almost too easy to take the staff away from it and knock it away with the thing."

"Really?" Miroku asked as he popped a sausage into his mouth. "Mnds tke gakn to mh." The monk commented around his food. Sweatdropping, Sango asked, "What did you say? Don't eat with your mouth full of food!"

"'Sounds like Jaken to me.' is what he said." Shippo informed the group as he took a piece of Inuyasha's hashbrown without the hanyou noticing.

"So that bastard came here, did he?" Inuyasha asked no one in particular, still not realizing what Shippo was doing as the little kitsune stole his toast.

"What? Who's the bastard?" Jenni asked, looking to Kagome as the dark haired girl handed Shippo the rest of her food, before the small demon was hit upside the head for stealing Inuyasha's food.

"That human girl just took the words right out of my mouth." a cold voice said, coming from behind the small group. Jumping as one when the voice spoke, the four humans, hanyou, and demon turned quickly to face the aforementioned 'bastard'.

"Sesshomaru…" Inuyasha stated coldly, his hand inching towards the hilt of Tetsaiga instinctively.

"Little brother, I am so glad that you have not forgotten my name." Sesshomaru said, and if it had been anyone else, it would have been considered sarcasm. But, this was the eldest son of the great Dog Demon of the West, who never showed any emotion. "I hope that you enjoyed your morning meal. It will be your last."

"Hmph! Like an ass like you could beat me! Kagome, Miroku, Sango! Oh, and you too Jenni, move away from here!" When all four hesitated, the hanyou growled in his throat and yelled, "Now!"

Doing as he told them, the four humans moved from their seating arrangement, Kagome holding Shippo worriedly.

Creating his youki whip, Sesshomaru faced Inuyasha as the half-demon drew his sword. Standing, they faced each other, neither face showing any emotion other than the need to kill their own brother. Wind lifting their identical hair, the only thing that was similar about them other than their eyes, Jenni watched as they began to rush at each other, striking before quickly jumping away.

'Oh my…' Jenni thought, as Inuyasha dodged a crack of Sesshomaru's youki whip, 'That other demon is actually kinda handsome, once you get over the fact that he looks almost feminine. But, he wants to fight Inuyasha, his own brother, and kill him?! How sad…' As she had thought those two last words, Sesshomaru had turned the tide of the fight in his favor by causing Inuyasha to switch to defensive tactics, his broad sword held like a shield from the snapping end of the glowing whip.

"Kagome? Why does Sesshomaru hate Inuyasha so much? And why does Inuyasha hate Sesshomaru?" Jenni asked the distraught girl.

Without taking her eyes from the red-clad man, Kagome answered, her voice laced with worry for the fighting hanyou, "Well, I think it is because their father loved Inuyasha more, and paid more attention to him. And, I think that Inuyasha hates Sesshomaru because he kicked Inuyasha from his home after Inuyasha's mother died when he was very young. I really don't know if those are the correct reasons, but that is what I have gathered from talking to Inuyasha… Oh no! Inuyasha!!" the raven haired girl cried out as Inuyasha was finally injured. While the two cousins had been talking, Sesshomaru had finally achieved a strike across Inuyasha's chest, and the hanyou had fallen to the ground, blood swelling from the wound.

Inuyasha tried desperately to raise his wounded body from the ground, but found that the pain was to great and fell to his back once more. It took all his strength to just breathe, damnit! How was he supposed to fight Sesshomaru now?! It was during these troubled thoughts that Kagome rushed to his side, quickly assessing his wound. While she demanded that he not get up, Inuyasha growled at her and said, "Kagome, get away from me. He's going to come and try to kill me, and if you don't move, then he will kill you too. Leave!"

"Hey, sorry to interrupt…" Jenni commented as she approached near the two, "But, what should I do with this?" Holding out her right hand, the blonde girl showed the hanyou and miko that she held the rusted form of Tetsaiga in her hand.

"Give it to me girl." Sesshomaru stated as he approached the standing girl, his face a mask of cool collectiveness. "Hand it over to me now, and I will think of sparing the village." Eeping, Jenni looked to Inuyasha and Kagome, to the retreating backs of Sango, Miroku and Shippo, who had all gone to warn the villagers of the danger, then back to the coldly sneering demon before her. Shifting her weight, Jenni readied herself into a defensive stance, holding the Tetsaiga before her. "Come and get it if you want it so bad." the girl stated, her voice cold and sharp while she thought nervously, 'I hope I'm holding this thing right…'

"Onna! Don't! He'll kill you without a second thought!" Inuyasha called out to the blonde who was currently defending him. Why was she doing that?! In that form, Tetsaiga wasn't worth anything in a battle, much less a battle against a demon as strong as his brother. Jenni would be dead in only moments!

"Little brother, always relying on humans to protect you? And, females at that, also. How pathetic. First your mother, then that one beside you," here, the dog demon looked at Kagome, "And finally, this new one. I haven't seen her before. Is she your mate? And I thought that you had chosen the female wench that is beside you. Hn?" Sesshomaru quizzed the fastly blushing Inuyasha.

"M-mate?" the hanyou squeaked, unable to look at Kagome. He -really- did not want to see her expression at the moment!

"Yes, your mate. The one you 'love' and cherish… and protect. And who, in turn, protects you. A mate." the demon confirmed.

"Now, wait just one minute! You think that I would be his 'mate'?!" Jenni asked, her voice rising in anger when Sesshomaru nodded. "Then there's only one answer to this: you're crazy."

"You're not his mate?" Sesshomaru asked, walking forward and catching the girl's scent. Sniffing the air a few times, he looked at the blonde again, "Then, why are you protecting him?" 

"Because… well, he's been somewhat nice to me and because he's Kagome's friend! And you have threatened Kagome! You have threatened my family!" the girl yelled to the now thoroughly confused youkai.

"You are related to that half-breed?" Sesshomaru asked as he pointed to Inuyasha's reclining form.

"Only if those two decide to go and get hitched…" the blonde said, her defensive stance never once wavering as the two behind her blushed even redder than they already were.

"Nani?" Sesshomaru asked, his mind not making sense of this girl's words. Relaxing his stance, he demanded, "Elaborate."

Relaxing her own stance minutely, Jenni told the youkai, "I'm Kagome's cousin, my name is Jenni. And, I already know who you are. You're Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's older half-brother, who is hell bent to kill him. Inuyasha, that is." Watching as Sesshomaru crossed his legs and hovered in the air before sinking to the ground, Jenni stuck the Tetsaiga's blade deep into the soft earth and blinked and faced Inuyasha as he told her angrily, "Girl! Don't just sit there! Get back up and attack him! He can still kill you, even just sitting there!"

"But Inuyasha, he is thinking. His aura doesn't feel hostile, can't you tell? He's not going to attack soon." the girl responded, never batting an eye at the growls that the hanyou sent her way. Meeting Kagome's eyes, she said, "Kagome, help him back to the village. Kaede should be able to help him. I'll follow after you guys in a bit." Protesting that she couldn't leave Jenni alone with a youkai that was as likely to kill her as to breathe, Jenni asked her if she wanted Inuyasha to get healed. Taking the hanyou by the shoulders, Kagome helped the boy to his feet, nodded to her cousin, and then the two were on their way back to the village. 

"Okay, I just want to ask you one thing…" Jenni stated as she turned to see the amusing sight of Sesshomaru trying to grasp the hilt of Tetsaiga. Energy flaring around it, the power shocked around his hand and forced him to the ground, making him land on the ground ungracefully.

"What?" he asked coldly as he turned and looked at her.

Walking within arm's reach of him, Jenni asked the Inu-youkai, "Why? Why do you want to kill your own brother?"

"Why should I tell you?" Sesshomaru asked warily. What was this human up to?

"Because I'll answer a question for you to the best of my ability. A trade of questions and answers, if you will. Agree?"

"Hmph." the dog demon responded as he crossed his arms and legs in thought. 

"You know, you really sound and look like Inuyasha when you do that…" Jenni informed him with a small smile. All the response she got was a glare and a growl from the offended demon.

"Fine! I'll let you think about my offer. But, it still stands, in case you ever want to answer…" Jenni stated as she stood and took the hilt of the sword in her hand and pulled the blade from the ground in one jerk. Hoisting the sword over her shoulders, she held the blade with one hand and the hilt with the other as she began to walk the forest path back to the village.

"If you want to come with me, you can. If not, see ya!" the girl called over her left shoulder as she walked away, never turning back to see what the demon was doing. For all she knew, he could have already left. However, after a moment, Sesshomaru was instantly by her side, his strides matching hers in speed. Every now and then, he would try to grab the Fang, and then draw his hand back as the energy swirled and attacked his hand, rejecting his presence.

As the two neared the village, Jenni muttered to the demon who was currently nursing his hands quietly, "And no killing."

"Damn you." was all Sesshomaru said as the village houses and lands came into sight.


	6. Scroll Five

**Author's Note**: Wow... being banned from the internet for two weeks is hard... (sighs) But, anyway, thank you for waiting, and now... (dramatic drumroll) Here it is! (These characters are not my own)

* * *

"Jenni! You came back!" Shippo exclaimed as he bounded to the blonde girl. Smiling as he leaped onto her shoulder, Jenni stated, "You make it sound as if you were already arranging my funeral…"

"But, I thought that you wanted to be cremated…" Kagome said as she walked towards her cousin, confusion written over her face. Looking at the girl, Jenni mumbled, "Same thing…" Smiling, Kagome took Shippo from the girl as Sango asked, "So, what happened to Sesshomaru? He didn't actually leave, did he?"

"I don't know… he might have followed me to the village… but, if he did, I didn't see him…" Jenni lied as she handed Tetsaiga to Miroku, who slipped the sword back into its empty sheath lying next to the sprawled-out Inuyasha. In reality, Sesshomaru would have followed her the entire way into the village, right up to where she was standing now, but she had told him that it would only aggravate Inuyasha into fighting. So, he had decided to wait at the edge of the woods that bordered the village until she came for him when she thought the time was right.

"Inuyasha! Sit down! Ye are only hurting yourself more!" Kaede commanded to the wounded hanyou as the boy tried to stand. Glaring at the old priestess, Inuyasha argued, "But, he's here! That bastard is right outside of the village! I'll slaughter him!"

"Inuyasha! You will not go out there and fight him! Put two and two together! You are severely wounded and he is not! You won't win the fight, should you go out there!" Kagome yelled at the hanyou, forcing him down to the ground once more by placing her hands on his shoulders and putting all her weight into the movement.

"You don't think that I'd be able to defeat him?" Inuyasha asked dejectedly, ears drooping in hurt.

Sighing, Kagome gently petted the white triangles and watched as the twitched under her administrations. "I know that you'd be able to hurt him, but, as you are currently, you couldn't finish the fight." the girl stated.

"Uh… Kag?" Jenni mumbled from behind her cousin's big ass bag.

"What?" Kagome asked, looking over her shoulder and at the blonde girl that was partially hidden by the large, yellow backpack.

"Uhm… Just to let you know… You have a math exam today…" Jenni informed the other girl as she held out a paper to the young miko.

"What?!" Kagome yelled in surprise, taking the paper from the blonde and finding the date box for that day. Reading her own hand writing, Kagome said to herself, "'TEST: MATH! MUST MAKE AN 'A', OR I HAVE TO TAKE SUMMER SCHOOL CLASSES.'" Jumping and standing, Kagome stuffed her backpack of all her things, saying, "Crap! Jenni, I'm going back home! Come with?" Finding her History book, she shoved it into the last remaining space of her bag, and shouldered the large, yellow object.

"Sure." Jenni said with a shrug, standing to open the flap, holding it for Kagome to run through. "I need to go to school one of these days…"

Three minutes later, the girls were both jumping down the well, on their way back to their own times. Jenni had thanked Inuyasha, who had ignored his wound to carry herself and Kagome to the well, while Kagome had pulled the other girl's shirt and dragged her to the well, forcing her down. As Inuyasha was walking back to Kaede's hut, the hanyou stopped suddenly when the wind blew an unwelcome scent his way. "Sesshomaru…" the half-demon growled to himself.

"Little brother…" the elder demon said, jumping down from the tree in which he had previously been sitting.

"What do -you- want?!" Inuyasha demanded, cracking his knuckles and flexing his fingers, preparing his claws for a battle.

"Well, now I know where those two girls go. Does that well really connect to the future?" the inu-youkai queried, his eyes analyzing the way that Inuyasha's body was tense and the angry aura surrounding his body.

"Why do you want to know?" Inuyasha demanded suspiciously. Why was Sesshomaru interested in the Bone Eater's Well…?

"It doesn't matter…" Sesshomaru said and disappeared so suddenly that even the brittle leaves at his feet did not stir.

"W-what? He gets weirder by the day…" Inuyasha mumbled as he hiked back to the village. When he reached the priestess's hut, Sesshomaru emerged from the trees once more. Then the dog demon had sat on a log and stared at the well long into the night, his eyes showing that he was deep in thought.


	7. Scroll Six

**Author's** **Note**: Yes, I know that people outside of Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Stillwater have never heard of the Orange Peel, but let's just pretend, okay? (smiles) Bet I piqued your interest huh?_ (You: (shake your head 'no'))_ Awwww…

Also, I decided to post, but only because Shalaren asked me oh so nicely. _(smiles nervously)_

**Disclaimer**: Not mine, don't own

**Warnings**: Nothing at the moment

**Pairings**: Getting there…

_**The Cousin**_

_**Scroll Six

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**_

"Hey mom! Souta! Ji-chan! Jenni and I are back! We're going to my room, then to school" Kagome called out as she emerged from the small hut that housed the Bone Eater's Well, Jenni directly behind her.

"Oh Kagome, You have a math test today, don't you" Kagome's mom asked the Japanese girl, walking out into the side yard where her daughter and niece were talking. "I'll write both you and Jenni a note to the school, so don't worry. I also cleaned both of your uniforms, and they're lying on your bed, Kagome. I'll go ahead and make you your lunches. They will be waiting on the kitchen counter for you both. Hurry now, or you'll be late for your second class." Thanking her, the two girls ran to the bedroom and quickly changed, brushing their teeth and pulling their hair back into low ponytails. They then ran into the kitchen and grabbed the two lunches sitting on the spot-free counter. Running out the side kitchen door, they opened the car doors and jumped inside the automobile as Mrs. Higurashi started the car and drove them to their school.

Since Jenni was new, the office had put classes either with her cousin or near her. The two shared the same English class, along with History.

"Well, I'll see ya at lunch Kagome! I have to go conquer the evil known as Math" Jenni called over her shoulder as she alternated between the papers in her hands to the small numbers located above each of the doors in the school. Smiling at this, Kagome gave her blonde cousin a two fingered wave as she walked to her own Math class, the hell class, Geometry.

"Ugh…

'Draw a large right triangle, a large acute triangle, and a large obtuse triangle. Circumscribe a circle about each of the three triangles you drew…'" Kagome read to herself softly, tracing and drawing the correct angles and circles, hoping that all the information that she had crammed inside her head on the way to school with her mom and Jenni was correct. She continued to trudge her way through in the same manner until she finally got to the final question.

'Done! I don't think that I got all that many correct, maybe half, but I took the test and that is all that matters!' Kagome thought to herself somewhat proudly (for actually taking the test, not getting only half correct) as she stretched her back and arms, popping several kinks out from her knuckles before turning in her test to her teacher.

After the horrible test came lunch, during which Kagome introduced Jenni to her three friends. Blinking in surprise, the girl with the short hair looked from Jenni to Kagome and said"How ironic! I have a shadow also! She's from another school, and her parents decided to transfer her here for this year! And guess what Kagome? Her family also lives at a temple, just like you do! Everyone, this is Sarah! She transferred here from the Blue Star Academy, but she was born on the border of America and Mexico! She's fluent in Spanish! She helped me with my homework"

"Nice to meet you Sarah." Jenni said as she pulled up a chair and sat next to the brunette with frizzy hair and piercing green eyes. "Born in Texas or Mexico"

"Texas. Where were you born, if you don't mind my asking? Sounds like you have an accent just like I do…" Sarah asked the blonde, cocking her head as she made her observation. Nodding, Jenni informed her"I was born in Boston." Smiling, Jenni said"Say, did you ever go to the Orange Peel…" And with that, the two American girls left the four Japanese girls to do as they wished.

As it turned out, Sarah was also in the tenth grade, just like Jenni (Kagome and her friends are all freshmen). They also had the same Drama class fifth period. Throwing away their trash, they left for their next class, promising to continue their talk once they got into class.

After school, Sarah and Jenni headed over to Jenni and Kagome's house to get some stuff for their drama class assignment, to create a monologue from a hat. Kagome was abducted by her friends and forced to go to a café with Hojo… the girl couldn't really say that it was a date, since her friends were only several booths away from the couple, making sure that she wouldn't leave early or botch up the date… All of this unknown to Hojo…

"So, Kagome" Hojo started after their drinks had been given to them"How did the West Nile test go? Are you feeling any better? Would any herbal remedies help at all"

'Ji-chan, are there even cases of West Nile in Japan?' Kagome thought frantically as she laughed demurely and answered"Much better now, thank you. But… I think that I'm gonna flunk Geometry. I so failed my last test…"

"But, because you are sick all the time, it must be hard to study… Oh, I know! I could help you study, and you might do better! How about tomorrow at four" However, whatever else Hojo had been about to say was cut off as Jenni rushed to their booth and grabbed her cousin's arm, tugging the girl to her feet.

"So sorry! I'm Jenni, Kagome's cousin! I'm afraid that we are having a small family emergency. Kagome will get back to you on you next get together as soon as she can! Goodbye" Jenni said in a quick breath, giving a small bow before dragging the stunned Kagome out from the café and down the street. Finally regaining her thoughts, Kagome cried out"Wait! Family emergency! What has happened? Did Ji-chan hurt himself? Or did Sota get hurt at a soccer game? No! Did mom get in a car wreck? What happened"

Just looking at her, Jenni commanded her"Shut up for a moment…" Smiling at the crowd, Jenni seemed to mentally tell all the people staring 'Don't worry about us, just having a friendly little conversation. Now, leave us alone and get back to your own business.' Almost as if they understood the smile, the group of people looking at them quickly turned their gazes elsewhere, no longer focused on the raven haired girl who had yelled at the honey-blonde haired girl. Placing her hand on Kagome's elbow, Jenni stated under her breath"Just keep walking… Now turn right."

They were both standing in an old alley way, toppled trashcans littering the ground, while mice and rats scurried and scavenged around and through the trash, while a cat swished its tail and preyed on said mice and rats.

"Ew, it stinks back here Jenni! Why did you bring me here" Kagome asked as she pinched her nose, wondering how she could handle a rotting carcass of demon but not modern day trash. 'Just sensitive, I guess…' she thought before a familiarly gruff voice cut through her thoughts.

"And you humans don't even have strong noses. Think of how I feel." the voice commented.

"Inuyasha! What are you doing here" Kagome asked the hanyou when he jumped off the dumpster on which he had been sitting.

"I'm asking myself that question. Why were you with that wimpy looking guy" the half-demon asked the miko in training, his ears twitching to catch sounds, or, perhaps, in irritation?

"Oh, you mean Hojo? My 'friends' forced me to go to the café with him. But, more important, why are you here? I thought that you were hurt."

"There's a demon near the village. A strong one. I suspect that it has several Jewel Shards. It has been destroying several of the surrounding villages, and I hear it has even fought off a few of the strongest demons there in that area. If we don't defeat it, Naraku will get the Jewel Shards. So, what are you waiting for? Come on"

"Translation: Please come help me." Jenni mumbled to herself and Kagome. Covering her mouth with her hand, Kagome hid her smile from the hanyou, whose left ear was now twitching in Jenni's direction. "What…" he asked murderously of the girl.

"Uh… well…" Jenni stammered as she sweatdropped and stepped behind Kagome for protection. The other girl just rolled her eyes and sighed at her cousin's antics.

"Inuyasha…" said a new voice in the conversation, a voice that had been showing up randomly more and more frequently.

"Jenni! I'm sorry! He wouldn't listen to me except that he shouldn't walk where everyone would see him" Sarah explained as she made her comical entrance. The brunette was hanging off the back of Sesshomaru's robes, trying (in vain) to get him to slow down, or, even better, to stop. All it seemed to be achieving, however, was an annoyed Inu-youkai lord, his patience wearing thin.

"Girl, for the last time, stop pulling on my clothes." the silver-haired demon told the girl, giving her his infamous icy stare. With an 'eep!', Sarah jumped away from the demon lord and hid behind the closest person, who so happened to be Inuyasha himself. Her eyes flicked from his clawed hands, then to his head…

"Puppy" she shrieked as she promptly began rubbing the small furry triangles atop the hanyou's head.

"Sarah…" Jenni said with a sweatdrop while Inuyasha growled out to the girl"Let go of the ears…"

"Oh…" Sarah said dejectedly, lowering her hands and looking ashamed for a moment before smiling at everyone once more. Sweatdropping, Inuyasha decided to change the subject, and jerked a thumb in the direction of his elder half-brother"What is he doing here" He had directed his question to Jenni, thinking that the young girl would know what was going on since she was the first person other than himself and Kagome to pass through the well. Looking from his younger brother to Jenni, said man in question stood there patiently, waiting for the answer himself.

"Uhm… Kagome… That's the crisis. The well is now open to all demons… and people…" the blonde girl explained, placing her hands behind her back and wringing her hands nervously.

"Huh? How" Kagome asked. "How could the well be broken?"

"I don't know… it didn't come with an instruction manual, did it" Jenni asked, her voice layered in sarcasm that was aimed at no one in particular.

"No… Sarah, did you by chance talk to Ji-chan about it" Kagome asked the girl, assuming that she had been to the temple already, since she had apparently tried to stop Sesshomaru. Unless there was another well that they didn't know about… but, that would be for another day to ponder. They had their big problem at the moment.

"Yeah, actually I did! And, he said that he tried to do a spell on it the other day…" Sarah explained, her voice trailing off, as if that would explain it all. Sighing, Jenni prompted"Do you know what the spell was"

"Uhm… Oh yeah" Sarah said triumphantly, proud of her ability to remember this small tidbit of information. "'To seal out all demons', is what he told me."

"Well, it looks like that backfired…" Sesshomaru stated rather dryly to no one in particular.

"Big time." Jenni commented, nodding her head in agreement.

"JI-CHAN" Kagome yelled aloud, her voice echoing slightly in the small alleyway.

* * *

Well, that's it for now. (smiles) Stay tuned! You never know when I might post!


	8. Scroll Seven

**Author's Note**: Introduce another new character… I have a habit of that in this fic, no?

Oh, and I also realized that I had accidentally posted chapter six twice (glad that I caught it), so please forgive me for that momentary spasmatic relapse... I promise you it probably won't happen again.

**Disclaimer**: Duh

**Warnings**: I allude to naughty words…

**Pairings**: Little bit of Inuyasha/ Kagome, Slight Sesshomaru/ Jenni… But not too much…

_**The Cousin**_

_**Scroll Seven

* * *

**_

After the whole alley had heard some explicit language from Kagome, the two demons removed their hands from where they had covered their sensitive ears, heads still ringing and throbbing from the high pitch of the girl's voice. Blinking, Jenni looked from her cousin to the two demons as Inuyasha said, "So, the old geezer tried to seal the well and now it has backfired on him and is open to anyone… Great, like we don't have enough problems at the moment…"

"But, I thought that the old man was a priest… Shouldn't he be able to correctly execute spells" Sesshomaru asked the blonde girl that was shaking her head at her cousin that was still ranting under her breath. Looking at the demon, Jenni nodded and told him"Yeah, he is a priest… That's what makes this so humiliating…"

"That, and he is also…" Kagome then trailed into some more of her foul language, only at a normal level this time. Inuyasha stared at her in shock, and then voiced"Kagome, I didn't think that you knew so many crude words…"

"That is the consequence of being around one such as you, Inuyasha. People suddenly regress and become unrefined the longer that they are around you." Sesshomaru stated to his brother, his voice in its regular monotone.

"What" Inuyasha growled, several blood veins popping from his head in irritation and anger.

"You heard me… Or, maybe you didn't. You have weaker hearing than I do, along with everything else…" Sesshomaru smirked as he closed his eyes, letting his insult hang in the air.

"Yeah right! I'm stronger than you are" Inuyasha declared, hands going to the hilt of the Tetsaiga and gripping the worn leather tightly.

"Is that so" Sesshomaru inquired, opening one eye and peering at the fuming hanyou in mock interest. "Then, how about you prove it"

"Anytime, anywhere" Inuyasha promised as he flicked the top two inches of the blade free from the sheath, making it so that his fang would be easy to draw at a moments notice.

"Um… Aren't we getting a bit off topic…" Jenni asked, stepping forward and looking from first Inuyasha to Sesshomaru.

"You two can fight later when we are back in the feudal era. Till then, behave yourselves" Kagome added, her voice warning the two demons of the anger that was currently inside her. Kagome didn't usually get that angry, so when she was in a bitchy mood, watch out! At least, that was what Jenni had learned over the years…

"Hey" Sarah exclaimed as she jumped up and down excitedly. Sweatdropping, Jenni could swear that she had seen a small lightbulb go off above the brunette's head.

"'Hey' what, girl" Inuyasha asked, looking surprisedly at the girl. 'She really is spastic' was the single thought that was on everyone's mind, except for Sesshomaru, perhaps, because you can never really tell what is on his mind. But, that is beside the point.

"I know how to fix the well" Sarah continued, barely containing her excitement, jumping up and down repeatedly, smiling broadly at them all.

"How" Kagome prompted her.

"Let's go! I can explain on the way back" she chirped as she started walking out to the street, her pace quick.

"Wait, if I carry two of you, we would go faster." Inuyasha said, halting the girl in mid-step. Turning around, she changed her direction and headed for the hanyou, saying"Okay, cool"

"Wait…" Sesshomaru spoke up. Stopping once more in mid-step, Sarah turned her head so she was looking at the full demon.

"I am stronger than you. You carry your girl and I will carry the other two." the youkai stated mater-of-factly.

"I can carry two" Inuyasha protested, ready to defend himself against his brother. He was just as strong as his brother, damn it! He could carry two of the girls himself!

"We will get there faster if I carry two." Sesshomaru tried to explain calmly.

"Will not" Inuyasha shot back quickly, glaring at the older demon.

"Inuyasha, let's just get moving, okay" Kagome pleaded with the hanyou. Looking at her, Inuyasha nodded after a moment and knelt down so the girl could climb onto his back. Standing, Inuyasha and Kagome both looked to the other three and simultaneously sweatdropped. It seemed that Sesshomaru was having trouble convincing Jenni to let him carry her.

"I can climb onto your back" she was protesting.

"No, I can't fit two onto my back." was all that the demon was saying in response. Sarah was just standing to the side, wondering when she would be included in the conversation.

Finally, with Sarah on Sesshomaru's back and the demon carrying Jenni in his arms, the five made their way to the Sunset Shrine, where the broken time-jumping well was housed.

"Now, Sarah, how are you going to fix the well" Kagome asked the girl as she climbed off Inuyasha's back. The brunette just looked past her to the building that surrounded the well.

"Is it in that building" she asked in a serious tone, her eyes calculating. Everyone blinked in surprise at how different she was now. It was hearing a dog go 'meow'. You just don't expect it.

"Yeah, but—" Kagome started, but abruptly stopped when Sarah just walked past her and towards the hut, sliding open the door and stepping inside. The other four looked at each other and quickly followed after her.

When they reached the well house, they saw that she was inspecting the well by circling it slowly several times, nodding and murmuring to herself softly. "I think that it will work…" they heard her say as she made one final round past the wooden well. She stopped in her tracks and turned to face the other four people who were watching her attentively, her face one of complete concentration.

"Okay. This can be fixed, I am positive of that. I just have to let the well know who can travel through it. It will take some time and power, so I will need everyone to help. Just concentrate on letting only the good of heart being the only ones to go through. I would try to limit it back to just Kagome and Inuyasha, but I really don't know how they are able to pass through themselves… So, this will have to do. You each need to touch a part of the well… Okay, let's start." the young girl said when they were all situated around the Bone Eater's Well.

Shortly, the tiny building filled with power, the light from miko and demon ki shooting through the windows. Yet, even this strange arrangement of power did the job, and soon the well was almost as good as new.

"Wow Sarah! How did you know how to do that spell" Jenni panted, exhausted from the power draining exercise. Because of her family's blood line, she had a bit of miko power, though not even half as much as Kagome, so she was understandably tired from exerting herself like that.

"My grandmother is a priestess…" Sarah stated proudly, swiping an annoying strand of hair out of her eyes. "She taught me how to use my powers…"

"That's great." An un-amused voice said to the girl.

"Are you mocking me" Sarah asked Sesshomaru, glaring at the demon.

"I didn't say anything." the youkai replied, blinking once in surprise at being accused of mocking the pathetic little human. Why would he waste his time doing that?

"Then who did" Sarah asked the others, raising her shoulders in a shrug.

"Me." the voice said again as a man jumped from the well, landing beside the brunette girl. He had dark green hair that was around Kagome's mid-back length. His eyes were a blood red, yet also seemed to change shades periodically, depending on his facial expressions. Yet, it was his height that drew your attention; He was easily taller than Sesshomaru, somewhere around six feet four. The man also looked extremely good in his outfit to boot: His shirt was yellow with a red undershirt, much like Inuyasha's fire rat haori, except for the fact that the outer shirt was more like a tunic, falling all the way to his knees. The stitching stood out against the warm hues, the black thread thick and falling loose at the ends of the sleeves, being tied into a bow tie to keep them out of the way. His pants also contrasted nicely with his shirt; A deep forest green hue, and very long.

His only accessories was the silver earring in his left ear, and a trident that he held in his hand along with a small pouch was hanging from his pants, looking lumpy, as if it was filled with rocks. Looking from the hanyou, youkai and the three humans, he blinked and said"What am I doing here? Would any of you care to explain that small piece of information"


	9. Scroll Eight

**Author's** **Note**: Sorry for the long delay, but I have to concentrate almost all of my brain power to working on scholarships for college. Also, thanks to my beta, just because.

**Side Note: **I accidentally posted chapter six twice and have now gone back and fixed the problem. If you read my last installment before 3/21/05, then please go back and read it. If you didn't, then you don't have to worry about this at all. Thank you.

**Disclaimer**: Not mine, don't own. If I had the money to own Inuyasha, then I would not have to apply for scholarships.

**Warnings**: Nothing at the moment

**Pairings**: Getting there…

_**The Cousin**_

_**Scroll Eight**_

The five people just stared at the unusual looking man.

"Well, I repeat, what am I doing here?" he questioned, looking from Sesshomaru to Inuyasha, yet not commenting on why they were in the presence of a girl who was obviously a miko. (He was, of course, thinking of Kagome.)

"Are you human…?" Jenni asked, tentatively stepping forward to address the new comer. "…Or are you a demon?"

"No. I'm a squirrel." the man said, the sarcasm thick in his voice. Jumping a bit (she didn't expect people from 500 years ago to be so cynical), Jenni hid behind the closest person, who so happened to be Sesshomaru. Yet, all the Inu-youkai did was look at Sarah and ask the girl, "Well?"

Yet, it did not appear that the girl had heard him. It seemed like she was drooling… Walking up to the new man, she hesitated, then reached out and took a lock of his hair and brought it to her face, examining it carefully. Looking from the dark green hair to his red eyes, she asked, "Is this your real hair color?"

"Of course it is." he admitted, wondering why she was asking him this pointless question. "Why?"

"But… it's green…" Sarah said, always having to play the part of 'Captain Obvious'.

"I'm a youkai. Anything is possible…" the man stated, wondering if she was ever going to release his hair from her hand.

"What kind?" the brunette asked, fingers still gently curled over the green locks.

"Nani?" the demon asked, not understanding what she meant by that question. …And she was still holding his hair…

"What kind of demon are you?" the girl asked, elaborating as to what her question fully meant this time. Blinking, the youkai answered, "Fire. …And, can I have my hair back now?"

Blushing, Sarah quickly dropped the green locks and gave a small 'eep' in embarrassment. Regaining her composure, she placed a thoughtful expression on her face and asked, "Where were you when you got transported here? Be as exact as possible."

"I was in a forest called Inuyasha's Forest. I was passing through to see a village." the demon explained, crossing his arms as he recounted his story.

"To pillage it?" Inuyasha asked him, his eyes narrowing slightly. If it was Kaede's village, then this demon would be entering into his territory…

"No, to seek aide." the other replied.

"Why would a demon need help?" Kagome asked him, not understanding what a demon would need from a human village. And, anyway, if they did need something, they usually just stole it, like Inuyasha suggested.

"For reasons you don't have to hear." the fire demon told her curtly, his eyes narrowing at the girls words.

"I think I damn well deserve to know! You were passing through my territory after all!" Inuyasha yelled at the taller youkai, glaring at him to get his point across as he flexed his claws, ready to fight if need be.

"Hmm? You are Inuyasha? I don't believe you. You look to weak to be the Inuyasha of all the rumors. You don't look like you know how to plan battles very well…" the brightly clad man stated aloud, not paying heed to the number of veins beginning to pop out from the hanyou's body.

"W-w-what!" Inuyasha stammered in indignation.

"Do you need me to say it again?" the fire youkai asked, his voice dry, yet his eyes holding a fire in them.

"Say it again. He is a little slow…" Sesshomaru said as he looked indifferently at his younger half-brother.

"Why you!" Inuyasha started, but was cut off when Jenni stepped between the two.

"Listen, the both of you! All you have done so far is go at each other's throats, physically and verbally! You need to get over whatever differences you have and behave yourselves while you are in this time era! You can kill each other for all I care once you return to the Feudal Era, but you better behave in this one! Understand me?" she asked, looking at Inuyasha, then to Sesshomaru.


	10. Scroll Nine

**Author's** **Notes**: Nothing really… Except, please keep in mind that this is the second time that this has been posted, and I don't care about trying to get everything in the correct dates... So, just pretend that Halloween is just around the corner...

**Disclaimer**: You should know the drill by now...

**Warnings**: Nada... Except for the fact that the document manager got rid of alot of my punctuation... So, if I missed a correction, please forgive me!

**Pairings**: Some slight I/K, and also a bit of funny S/J

_**The Cousin**_

_**Scroll Nine**_

When the two entered the house, Jenni led the demon through the front foyer to the kitchen. There she began to open cabinets and drawers, removing various pots and pans and spoons.

"What would be good for tonight…" she asked herself as she looked through the pantry. "Something easy… And something that feeds a lot… Ah! Spaghetti! Perfect!" she exclaimed as she clapped her hands together. Removing the noodles and sauce, she then turned to Sesshomaru and instructed him to watch the pot of water until it boiled, then told him what to do to the stove after that.

"I'm going into town for some vegetables and fruit for the side dishes. Can you hold the fort?" she asked, laughing slightly. Blinking at her choice of words, Sesshomaru gave a small smile and nodded.

'Why am I smiling for this… human? And, this is not a fort…' Sesshomaru thought as Jenni waved to him, grabbed a house key, and exited through the kitchen door.

When she returned, however, the blonde girl thought that World War III had begun, and that the Higurashi household had been the overthrown. Somehow Sesshomaru had managed to spill the water in the pan, and then made a valiant attempt at refilling the pan, and once that task had been performed, he found that he could not turn off the faucet… The result…

"AHH!" Jenni cried as she ran forward and turned off the tap. Sesshomaru stood by the door and caught the falling bag of groceries once the blonde girl had dropped them in her haste to stop the flow of water. Looking at her, Sesshomaru only nodded when she said, leaning over the sink, "Uh… how bout we clean this up?"

And, so they began the long process of mopping up the large water spill. After they had finished this chore, they boiled another pot of water, and then added the noodles. Jenni started Sesshomaru on the salad, somehow knowing that he would be very good at making the slices as thin as possible, while she worked on the sauce and meatballs.

"Hey… Where's Jenni? And Sesshomaru?" Sarah asked, looking around for the two missing persons, the others joining her once she had brought their disappearance to attention. Sniffing the air, Kagome smiled and settled back down, informing the others, "They're in the kitchen." Sniffing the air also, Inuyasha's ears pricked up slightly at the thought of food, while the miko seated beside him just laughed and suggested that they go help. Quickly agreeing, Inuyasha stood and hurried towards the house, leaving Kagome to laugh some more at him and to follow at a more leisurely pace. Sarah and Revlis brought up the rear, continuing their conversation as they walked.

When the four entered the house, they saw the form of Sesshomaru calmly sitting on the couch, while sounds of Jenni moving around in the kitchen filled the house.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked, wondering why he was in the living room while Jenni was in the kitchen.

"She didn't want me helping anymore…" he told her flatly. Kagome nodded sagely as Jenni yelled to the group, "One cook is enough!"

Walking to the doorway, Kagome stood there and asked her working cousin, "Well then, what do you want us to do?"

"Set the table; get drinks, put out the salad, et cetera." Jenni instructed them. So, like the smart little cookies that they all were, they began to follow her orders.

Kagome and Sarah showed Inuyasha and Revlis how to set the eating utensils and napkins correctly, and then started on the task of collecting drinks.

After Sarah had taken an order of tea from Revlis, an order of pop from Inuyasha, which was instantly corrected by Kagome to a glass of water ("No! The last time we let you have pop you bounced off the walls till sunrise!" Kagome had yelled at the hanyou while she set the salad on the table), and a tea from Sesshomaru, she walked into the kitchen and began to fill the plastic cups with ice cubes. Starting on the beverages, Sarah left Kagome and Jenni to gather their own drinks, and soon the whole group was munching away on bread rolls, salad and spaghetti when Sota and Kagome's mother came home.

"Inuyasha!" Sota cried out, jumping to meet his hero again, giving the poor hanyou a death grip hug… at the legs… (the only place that he could hug… Sota is a bit of a midget…)

"Honey, who are these people?" Kagome's mother asked her daughter. Smiling, the dark-haired girl answered, "Just a few friends mom."

"Okay dear. Oh, I have a favor to ask of you. Could you take Sota out for Halloween this Friday? He wants to go trick-or-treating again this year." her mom told her.

"Sure mom! What's today? Tuesday? We can go get some outfits by then. Wanna join?" These last two words were directed at the two demons, one hanyou and other two humans seated at the table.

"Yeah!" Sarah and Jenni both cried out at once, pumping a fist up in the air.

"Uhm…" Revlis said, while Sesshomaru asked, "What is this 'Hal-o-wean'?"

And so, the three girls began the long explanation of the history of Halloween, and what you did the night of October 31st.


End file.
